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Princeton UChicago Georgetown Penn NYU Johns Hopkins Notre Dame Duke Colgate Vanderbilt WUSTL Yale| Northwestern University | Cornell University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Northwestern | Cornell | ||
| Location | Evanston, IL | Ithaca, NY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 23,203 | 26,264 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #16 | #19 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | northwestern.edu | cornell.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northwestern | Cornell | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $64,887 | $65,204 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,887 | $65,204 | ||
| Room & Board | $20,334 | $18,554 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,341 | $26,455 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $64,463 | $56,741 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 52% | 51% |
Admission |
Northwestern | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 51,769 | 65,635 | ||
| Admitted | 3,703 | 5,358 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 7.2% | 8.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 57% | 66% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.92 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1560 | 1480/1560 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 1, 2026 | Jan 2, 2026 |
Academics |
Northwestern | Cornell | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northwestern | Cornell | ||
| Graduation Rate | 94% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $89,800 | $98,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,378 | $12,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $200 | $124 |
Diversity |
Northwestern | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 27% | 19% | ||
| % Women | 33% | 20% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 50% | 41% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 12% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 8% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 8% |
Students |
Northwestern | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 22% | 32% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 67% | 55% | ||
Campus |
Northwestern | Cornell | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Cornell University is larger than than Northwestern based on total student enrollment (26,264 students vs. 23,203 students)
Northwestern vs. Cornell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Cornell?
- Cornell University is 0.5% more expensive to attend than Northwestern for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $64,887.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.5% higher at Cornell than Northwestern University ($65,204.00 vs. $64,887.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than Cornell ($23,341 vs. $26,455)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell University are 9.6% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($18,554 vs. $20,334)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern University than Cornell University (52% vs. 51%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 13.6% larger than aid received Cornell University ($64,463 vs. $56,741)
Northwestern vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northwestern or Cornell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cornell or Northwestern .
- The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 32 points higher than at Cornell (1428)
- Incoming Northwestern students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Cornell (32)
- Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Cornell (3.9)
- Cornell has a higher acceptance rate (8.2%) than Northwestern (7.2%)
Northwestern vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northwestern or Cornell? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Cornell and Northwestern.
- The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Cornell University (94% vs. 93%)
- Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $8,600 more per year than Northwestern graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $89,800)
- Cornell University students graduate with a $7,378 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern graduates. ($12,000 vs. $19,378)
- Cornell graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern graduates. ($124 vs. $200)
- More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 87%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/